Direction control for jet boat



Jan. 1, 1963 J. E. BASSO 3,071,101

DIRECTION CONTROL FOR JET; BOAT Filed July l5. 1960 295 21 g as f I r I i i i l 28 MS III/( IA INVENTOR. Ion N E. BAsso F 2. BY 1g WWWJMHJM ATTORNEYS 3,071,101 DIRECTION CDNTEOL FOR JET BOAT John E. Basso, Indianapolis, Ind, assignor to The Buehler Corporation, a corporation of Indiana Filed July 15, 1960, Ser. No. 43,213 3 Claims. (Cl. 115-12) The present invention relates to jet propelled watercraft and more particularly to a means for controlling the direction of such craft.

At least one form of water jet-propelled boat involves an engine arranged to drive a turbine which is located within a conduit through the boat. Water is drawn into the conduit through an intake opening at the bottom of the boat, is pumped through the conduit by the turbine and is exhausted in a stream from the rear of the boat, the stream leaving the boat above the water within which the boat is floating or is supported. The propulsion principle depends directly on a basic law of physics which provides that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Thus, as water is ejected astern, the boat moves forward.

One problem present in the construction and operation of such water jet-propelled boats is that of controlling the direction of movement of the boat whereby the boat moves forwardly, rearwardly or retains position. This control may be accomplished by deflecting the stream of water as it leaves the rear of the boat in such manner as to cause the stream to flow forwardly of and beneath the boat. A primary object of the present invention is to provide improved means for controlling the direction of movement of a jet boat.

A further object of the present-invention is to provide a jet boat direction control permitting steering of the boat while the boat is moving rearwardly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a jet boat direction control which is less expensive, more efficient and easier to operate than presently available direction control apparatus of this type.

Related objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a direction control system comprising a conduit mounted on a watercraft and having a first exit opening rearwardly thereof. There is also provided means for pumping water through the conduit which has a further exit in the sidewall thereof. A gate is movably mounted on the craft to block or partially block flow from the conduit through the first exit to cause flow from :the second exit. There is also provided a deflector fixed with relation to said craft and positioned and arranged to deflect flow from the second exit in a direction forwardly of the craft.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a jet boat incorporating the novel direction control of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the rearward portion of FIG. 1 showing in detail the direction control of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary prospective view of a gate and housing forming a part of the direction control of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a jet boat 10 having a hull 11, the hull being provided with an intake opening 12 communicating between the bottom of the boat and a turbine 13. The turbine 13 has a passage therethrough communicating between the intake opening 12 and a passage 15 through a tailpipe 16 secured to the rear of the boat. The turbine 13 is driven by a conventional marine engine 14 through liflihihl Patented Jan. 1, 1963 shaft 14A and functions to pump water from the intake 12 to and out of the rear of the boat. The water is formed into a stream by the converging surface 17 of an annular member 18 fixed within the passage 15, the stream leaving the boat at a point above the water line.

Fixed to the tailpipe 16 is a housing 20, one function of which is to contain a depending gate or slide 21 which is movable within a vertically extending opening 22 to various positions. There is provided suitable means 22A (FIG. 1), hydraulic or otherwise, for raising and lowering a shaft 23 which is reciprocally received within a suitable bore in the upper end of the housing 20. The gate or slide 21 is swivel mounted to the shaft 23 by a ball and socket connection 25. Thus, the gate 21, when in the position illustrated in FIG. 2, hangs freely within the housing 20. It should be noted that the upward end of the housing is sealed or completely closed off except for the bore receiving the shaft 23 and that there are no openings to allow the passage of water from the upward portion of the housing 20.

The housing 20 is provided with a cylindrical bore 26 of the same size or slightly larger than the exit end of the opening through annular member 18, said cylindrical bore 26 registering with the opening through the annular member 18. When the gate 21 is positioned as in FIG. 2 above the opening 26, the turbine 13 may pump a stream of water through the annular member 18, through the vertically extending opening 22 and the cylindrical opening 26 in the housing to be exhausted from the rear of the boat. The housing 20 also functions to provide a pivotal mounting for a pair of deflector plates 27 (only one of which is shown) which are used for deflecting the stream of water to steer the boat.

The plates 27 are each pivotal about a vertical axis provided by suitable shafts extending through projections 28 extending from the housing 20, the plates 27 being positioned on opposite sides of the stream of water. In order to turn the boat in one direction, one of the plates 27 is pivoted into the stream by means of a steering quadrant 29 pivotally mounted on the housing 20 by means of shaft 29A positioned directly between the pivotal mountings of the deflector plates, the quadrant 29 having a pair of depending elements 29B (only one of which is shown) located outside of the deflector plates and arranged to pivot one or the other of the plates inwardly when the quadrant 29 is pivoted. The quadrant may be pivoted by suitable steering mechanism within the boat which is operatively associated with a steering line 29C received with groove 29D in the quadrant.

The housing 20 has formed thereon a downwardly and forwardly curved deflector 30. The gate 21 is movable downwardly from the position illustrated to a position wherein it completely block-s the flow of the stream of water from the annular member 18 through the bore 26. Because of the fact that the upward portion of the housing 20 is completely sealed or closed off, this water pumped from the turbine must pass downwardly through an opening 31 in the lower end of the housing, this opening facing in a direction generally forwardly of the boat. The boat has a flat element 32 secured to the lower end of its transom 35 and flush with the bottom 36 of the boat and the edge of opening 22, the flat element preferably being at an angle of seven degrees to the horizontal. However, even an angle as great as that shown and possibly a greater angle is operable. Because of the downwardly and forwardly curving surface 35 of the deflector 30, the water from the turbine moves downwardly and is exhausted in a generally parallel direction to the flat element 32 and passes beneath the boat causing the boat to move rearwardly according to the above mentioned basic law of physics.

It should .benoted that the gate 21 is movable .to various intermediate positions, one of which will cause the thrust from the turbine to be divided in such a manner as to maintain the boat in a stationary position. In such a condition, the boat may be steered (may pivot about a central vertical axis) even though it is making no foe ward or rearward movement through the water. When the gate is in such a position (which is somewhere near the position illustrated in FIG. 3) a certain percentage of water from the turbine passes through the cylindrical aperture 26 rearwardly between the deflector plates 27 where it may be acted upon by the deflector plates to turn the boat in the water. The remaining water from the turbine passes downwardly, is deflected by the member 3G to produce a thrust acting to move the boat rearwardly and equalizing the forward thrust produced by the water sing through the aperture 26.

It can be appreciated that the gate 21 may be lowered from this intermediate position to permit a slow rearward movement of the boat. Unless the gate is in a com- .pletely downward position preventing any passage of water through the aperture 26, the deflectors 27 may be used to steer the boat by deflection of .the portion of the stream of water which passes through the aperture 26.

From the above description, it can be appreciated that .the present invention provides improved means for controlling the direction of movement of a jet boat, this means being less expensive, more eflicient and easier to operate than presently available direction control apparatus. It can also be appreciated that the present invention provides a jet boat direction control permitting steering of the boat while the boat is standing still or moving rearwardly.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described. For example, instead of the vertically movable gate 21, a single horizontally slidable gate or a pair of horizontally slidable gates might be provided. In the case of a pair of horizontally slidable gates, the two gates might be geared together so that the two gates will come together centrally and so that, when one gate is moved to the side to allow rearward passage of the jet stream, the other gate is also moved to the side providing a balanced arrangement. In such horizontally sliding gate arrangements, the vertically extending opening 22 would be replaced by a horizontally extending opening.

The invention claimed is:

1. A direction control system for watercraft comprising rearwardly extending conduit mounted on the craft and having a first exit opening rearwardly thereof, means for pumping water through said conduit, said conduit having a further exit opening in the lower sidewall thereof, a single flat gate movable perpendicularly of said conduit to allow free flow, to block or to partially block rearward flow from said conduit through said first exit to cause flow from said second exit, a deflector fixed with relation to said craft and positioned and arranged to deflect flow from said second exit in a direction generally forwardly of the craft, a deflector mounted on the craft for pivoting about a vertical axis, said deflector positioned to deflect rearward flow from said first exit at various angles in a horizontal plane.

2. A direction control system for jet-propelled watercraft comprising a generally straight conduit mounted on the craft extending and opening rearwardly thereof, means for pumping water through said conduit to exhaust from said opening, said conduit being constricted at the opening thereof for forming the water into a jet, a housing secured to said conduit and covering the opening thereof, said housing having an aperture positioned in registry with said jet, a flat plate movable within said housing perpendicularly of said conduit to positions completely covering, uncovering and partly covering said aperture, said housing having only one further water outlet in addition to said aperture, said further outlet opening downwardly,

a deflector formed on said housing and projecting downwardly and forwardly over said downwardly opening outlet, said deflector having its proximal portion at a location adjacent and rearwardly of said downwardly opening outlet, said craft being formed to guide water deflected by said deflector and'to allow its unimpeded passage in a direction generally forwardly of the craft and therebeneath.

3. A direction control system for jet-propelled water- ;craft comprising a generally straight conduit mounted on the craft extending and opening rearwardly thereof, means for pumping water through said conduit to exhaust from said opening, said conduit being constricted at the opening thereof for forming the .water into a jet, a housing secured to said conduit and covering the opening thereof, said housing having an aperture positioned in registry with said jet, a flat plate movable within said housing perpendicularly of said conduit to positions completely covering, uncovering and partly covering said aperture, said housing having only one further water outlet in addition to said aperture, said further outlet opening downwardly, a deflector formed on said housing and projecting downwardly and forwardly'over said downwardly opening outlet, said deflector having its proximal portion at a location adjacent and rearwardly of said downwardly opening outlet, said craft being formed to guide water deflected by said deflector and to allow its unimpeded passage in a .direction g nerally forwardly of the craft and therebeneath, and a further deflector mounted on said craft for pivoting about a vertical axis, .said further deflector positioned to deflect the stream of water at various angles in a horizontal plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,024,274 Campini Dec. 17, 1935 2,849,861 Gardiner Sept. 2, 1958 3,007,305 Hamilton Nov. 7, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 188,683 Germany Aug. 5, 1907 124,567 Great Britain Mar. 26, 1919 740,385 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1955 118,315 New Zealand May 19, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Yachting (mag), pages and 71, vol. 106, No. 5 (November 1959). 

1. A DIRECTION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR WATERCRAFT COMPRISING REARWARDLY EXTENDING CONDUIT MOUNTED ON THE CRAFT AND HAVING A FIRST EXIT OPENING REARWARDLY THEREOF, MEANS FOR PUMPING WATER THROUGH SAID CONDUIT, SAID CONDUIT HAVING A FURTHER EXIT OPENING IN THE LOWER SIDEWALL THEREOF, A SINGLE FLAT GATE MOVABLE PERPENDICULARLY OF SAID CONDUIT TO ALLOW FREE FLOW, TO BLOCK OR TO PARTIALLY BLOCK REARWARD FLOW FROM SAID CONDUIT THROUGH SAID FIRST EXIT TO CAUSE FLOW FROM SAID SECOND EXIT, A DEFLECTOR FIXED WITH RELATION TO SAID CRAFT AND POSITIONED AND ARRANGED TO DEFLECT FLOW FROM SAID SECOND EXIT IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY FORWARDLY OF THE CRAFT, A DEFLECTOR MOUNTED ON THE CRAFT FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, SAID DEFLECTOR POSITIONED TO DEFLECT REARWARD FLOW FROM SAID FIRST EXIT AT VARIOUS ANGLES IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE. 